You also agree that your personal information may be transferred and processed in the United States, and that you have read and agree to the Terms of Use and the Privacy Policy. In October, Hyundai opened its first company-operated electric vehicle sharing service in metropolitan Amsterdam, Netherlands and later in November handed over the first fleet of Ioniq hybrid models for the new Stadtauto (meaning "city car") auto sharing service in Vienna, Austria.

Under the partnership with Hyundai, Grab has raised more than $2.5 billion in its latest round of fundraising, which also includes Didi Chuxing, Softbank and Toyota Tsusho. Grab now offers private auto, motorbike, taxi, and carpooling services across 8 countries and 168 cities in Southeast Asia. The Grab app has been downloaded onto over 77 million mobile devices, giving passengers access to the region's largest land transportation fleet comprising over 2.3 million drivers.

Uber doesn't provide comparative figures for its business in Southeast Asia, but Grab appears - at this point - to be ahead in a region that is widely seen as nascent but with growth potential. The firm also launched its first electric auto sharing services in Holland starting with hundred IONIQ electric vehicle service operations.

The partnership will help Hyundai explore new opportunities in the sharing economy with Grab and enhance its capability to lead future mobility in SEA.

Elsewhere in Asia, China's Baidu has reportedly developed its own self-driving Apollo platform that has been undergoing testing in cars on public roads since late past year.